Prairie dog hunting and/or fishing here in OK

[bambihunter]

I know it isn't really the right time to hunt prairie dogs but one can never start preparing too early. I have only went 'dog hunting once in the decade I have lived in Oklahoma and it was near Lawton and I think the friend I hunted with has moved (phone doesn't work, mail gets returned, email returned).
Anyway, I am looking for a place to prairie dog hunt. I will follow whatever restrictions the land owner requests. Same with fishing...

I have been a professional computer tech for a decade now and I would gladly trade my services for hunting and/or fishing priveledges. Fish and release is fine but I haven't figured out how to hunt and release. :)

[wps]

I hunt them year round, weather permitting, of course. If it's in the 50's or better, and the wind isn't blowing too hard, I'm hunting PD's.

What firearm are you planning on using, and how is it equipped?

WPS.

[YukonGlocker]

I don't know about prairie dog hunting; I would like to this sometime, myself. But there is excellent public fishing all over this state. What kind of fishing are you wanting to do??

[chicane]

I have had zero luck with a PD hunting location anywhere near central OK. Seems its all up in the pan handle. I would really like to give it a shot, I built a RRA varmint rifle, and haven't got to try it out yet!

[bambihunter]

WPS, when I used to go all the time, I had a .17 Rem. a 220 Swift (my personal favorite) and a few rim fires. All I currently have is a suppressed .22 (this should be a 'dog shootin' machine!) and then it jumps to .300 mag. I will likely buy another small bore between now and next spring. I would like to get an inexpensive .17 HMR and a heavy barrel .243 or 6mm as both of these latter two would be ideal in Kansas for a backup deer rifle.



Fishing, typically bass fishing because I generally don't keep anything. However, I love to catch fish no matter the species. One of my best fishing experiences was when I kept catching carp one afternoon. I think the smallest one was in the 30# range. I can't ever remember my "pole arm" being tired to the point of cramping before (or since). :thumb:

[wps]

WPS, when I used to go all the time, I had a .17 Rem. a 220 Swift (my personal favorite) and a few rim fires. All I currently have is a suppressed .22 (this should be a 'dog shootin' machine!) and then it jumps to .300 mag. I will likely buy another small bore between now and next spring. I would like to get an inexpensive .17 HMR and a heavy barrel .243 or 6mm as both of these latter two would be ideal in Kansas for a backup deer rifle.



Fishing, typically bass fishing because I generally don't keep anything. However, I love to catch fish no matter the species. One of my best fishing experiences was when I kept catching carp one afternoon. I think the smallest one was in the 30# range. I can't ever remember my "pole arm" being tired to the point of cramping before (or since). :thumb:


Some of my observations; PD hunting has become very popular, almost too popular. Between increased hunting pressure, and the plague, there just aren't nearly as many dog towns as in recent years. I don't know if the plague runs in cycles, but I'm going to talk to a .gov biologist and get more information on that. Also, more ranchers are poisining them lately, which appears to wipe out a town in its entirety.

If your suppressed 22 is a rimfire, I wouldn't count on getting too many shots using that. Again, the increased pressure keeps them pretty "spooky". As an example, most of my shots are between 200-400 yards.

There are two things that have dramatically increased my number of kills, and you should consider on your new small caliber.
1. My scope has a rangefinder, and a bullet drop compensator. This was money very well spent. If I can get their range properly, they're probably toast.
2. Reloading. Just started this, and the results are well worth my time / money invested. It made a huge difference for me, in increased accuracy.

If you are serious about hunting them, and don't mind a six hour ride from OKC, motel / food expense, etc., you are welcome to go hunting with me. I would prefer to discuss that via email, once you get your new rifle setup.

WPS.

[YukonGlocker]

Are you going to be bass fishing from the bank, or do you have a boat?

[YukonGlocker]

WPS, what is the most accurate factory load out of your gun?

[wps]

WPS, what is the most accurate factory load out of your gun?

Probably Black Hills 55 gr. SP.

WPS.

[bambihunter]

If you are serious about hunting them, and don't mind a six hour ride from OKC, motel / food expense, etc., you are welcome to go hunting with me. I would prefer to discuss that via email, once you get your new rifle setup.

WPS.

I might take you up on that WPS.

When I hunted all the time up in Kansas, there was always a place you could set up and shoot 'em with rimfires. The lower report doesn't seem to spook 'em as bad. I used to use a .220 Swift and every time I fired it, the 'dogs went underground.
I do want to get into reloading. I own and shoot a lot of 10mm auto's and the cost saving on that alone would pay for the reloading. It's not so much the economics keeping me from reloading but instead is more due to time and space restrictions...

I do have a small leaky boat that I leave at my brother-in-laws in Kansas as I don't have a way to tow it now. I fish mostly from shore or by wading. I've got a few decent spots in OKC for catching small to medium sized fish...